


A Moment in Ealdor

by Piscaria



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: M/M, episode: 1x10 "The Moment of Truth", kink: anal sex, kink: exhibitionism, kink: oral sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-23
Updated: 2010-10-23
Packaged: 2017-10-12 20:36:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/128783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piscaria/pseuds/Piscaria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Coda to 1.10.</b> When he accidentally stumbles across a private moment between Merlin and Will, Arthur settles back to watch . . .</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Moment in Ealdor

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [](http://venivincere.livejournal.com/profile)[**venivincere**](http://venivincere.livejournal.com/) for the speedy beta!

  
"We're friends," Merlin said again, plaintively, and Will rolled his eyes.  
"Keep telling yourself that, mate."  
"He risked his life for me!" Merlin insisted.  
"So now you'll risk all of ours for him?" Will shot back. Merlin opened his mouth to protest, but Will lifted a hand to stop him. "Look," he said. "This might be the last time we see each other. Do you really want to spend it arguing about Prince Arthur the Arrogant?"  
"He's not –" Merlin started, but Will abruptly dropped to his knees before him. Blunt fingers stroked his length through the threadbare wool of his breeches, and Merlin bit his lip. It had been too long since anybody had touched him like this. He glanced around nervously, but their walking argument had taken them deep in the shadows behind the mill. The sun had set hours ago; the village was quiet, lit only by the handful of distant street lamps and the weak candle light flickering between the cracks of window shutters. No one was out this time of night. They had as much privacy as they'd ever had.  
"Your prince doesn't do this for you," Will said possessively, mouthing Merlin through the fabric before drawing back to fumble with the laces.  
Anger flared briefly in Merlin's chest at the mention of Arthur, then sputtered out as Will's calloused hand wrapped around his erection, drawing it out of his breeches. The shock of cool night air against his damp prick made Merlin shudder. A moment later, Will's warm mouth closed over the head. Merlin's knees trembled at the wet heat, and he moaned.  
"Yes . . ."  
He carded his fingers through Will's hair, resisting the urge to fuck his friend's mouth. Will hummed around him, sending shivers up Merlin's spine, and he couldn't stop his hips from rolling forward, just a little bit, to press further into Will's hot mouth. He'd forgotten how good Will was at sucking cock. As if reading his mind, Will pulled back and smirked at him, eyes dark with desire. Merlin's breath caught as Will licked obscenely up the length of his prick and flicked his tongue against the slit.  
"Yeah, Will. Just like that."  
Will drew back just far enough to expose Merlin's damp skin to the cool night air, then plunged back down with an eagerness that made Merlin sigh in bliss. His eyes drifted shut, and he lost himself in the wet suction of Will's mouth, the slippery friction of his tongue. Some faint sense of intuition alerted him before he heard the footsteps, quiet as they were on the dirt path.  
Merlin opened his eyes just in time to see Arthur turning the corner. They froze at the sight of each other. Merlin expected Will to register the movement and pull away, but Will seemed to take Merlin's newly-rigid spine and careful stillness as encouragement. Oblivious to Arthur's presence, his fingers clenched tight around Merlin's arse cheeks, and he swallowed Merlin deeper inside. Arthur stared at the two of them, gaping.  
Blushing furiously, Merlin met Arthur's gaze, silently pleading with him not to say something prattish. A challenge glittered in Arthur's eyes, and he smirked. Leaning against the wall of the mill, he crossed his arms over his chest and settled back to watch. At that same moment, Will's tongue swirled around the head of Merlin's cock. Merlin tried to bite back his groan, but it escaped anyway, and his cheeks flared even hotter.  
He knew he should stop, should pull away. But Will's mouth was warm around him, his fingers sliding deftly over the base, and for some unearthly reason, Arthur hadn't moved. Merlin hated to think what would happen if Will saw him. He'd spent the evening trying to convince Will to stay and fight with them, trying to convince him that Arthur was nothing like the nobleman who'd ordered Will's father to spill his blood without a second thought. True, he hadn't actually convinced Will to give Arthur a chance, but if Will looked up and saw Arthur looking at them like that . . .  
The sure slide of a calloused hand over his arse drew Merlin's mind away from his thoughts, away, even from Arthur, leaning against the corner of the mill. Will was squeezing his arse cheek, palming it eagerly. Merlin inhaled sharply, mindful of Arthur's eyes on them, but Will, taking it as encouragement, leered up at him, and drew away from Merlin's cock with an obscene popping sound.  
His lips were swollen, red and bruised. A thin line of saliva connected his mouth to Merlin's cock.  
"Gods I've missed this," Will whispered, wiping his chin with the back of his hand, then drawing his index finger into his mouth. "Why did you go away?"  
Merlin only bit his lip and shrugged, intensely conscious of Arthur's eyes on them.  
"You're quiet," Will said. "Is this all right?" He looked nervous, and Merlin swallowed, blushing even hotter.  
"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, it's fine." Unconsciously, his gaze flicked up towards Arthur, who met his eyes, and responded with a mocking smirk.  
"Serious Merlin," Will said pityingly. "Always thinking. Let's see what we can do about that." And then his mouth closed back around Merlin's cock, at the same instant his spit-slicked finger slid into Merlin's arse.  
A low, throaty sound escaped Merlin before he could clamp his mouth down around it. Cheeks burning, he glanced up at Arthur, expecting to see more of that bored disdain. But Arthur's eyes had widened. He leaned forward now, gripping the corner of the building. Their eyes met, and held, as Will fingered Merlin, roughly. Unbidden, Merlin imagined Arthur on his knees before him like this, the blond fringe sticking to his forehead, and his cheeks hollowed. He imagined Arthur's fingers inside him, surer than Will's, each movement as carefully planned as the swing of a sword. He groaned, bucking into Will's mouth, and Will hummed around the base of his cock.  
With his free hand, Will had reached into his own breeches, wanking himself roughly beneath the wool. Merlin trailed his fingers up and down the back of Will's neck, grazing gently with his fingernails in the way he knew Will liked. Will moaned, and the sound danced deliciously over Merlin's swollen skin. He bucked up into Will's mouth, gripping the back of Will's head. Guiltily, his eyes flicked to Arthur's – Arthur, who had his own cock out of his breeches now, and was working it frantically, as though he couldn't help himself. His gaze caught Merlin's and stayed there. Arthur licked his lips, and Merlin's cock jumped inside of Will's mouth.  
"Yes," he moaned, imagining _Arthur's_ mouth stretched around him, Arthur's large, sword-calloused fingers plundering his arse. He imagined Arthur's bored, prattish drawl ordering him to undress him, to bend over the bed. He'd seen Arthur naked dozens of times, could easily imagine how Arthur would look, naked and warm from the bath. His large hands would settle over Merlin's hips, and he'd lean him down, pressing into him with a slow, heavenly movement. "Yes!" Merlin cried, bucking into Will's mouth. "Oh gods yes!"  
Arthur spilled over his hand, biting his lip, and Merlin moaned, and came. His knees gave out, and he sagged against Will, steadying himself with his hand on his friend's shoulder, the other wrapped around his cock, which was spurting slickly over their entwined fingers. By the time he'd recovered, Arthur was already gone.  
* * *  
Merlin took his time walking back to Hunith's cottage that night. Now that the heat of lust had faded, he felt like an idiot for not pulling away the second Arthur had rounded the corner. Arthur would tease him mercilessly, he knew, and if Will ever found out . . .  
He sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. When he got back to the cottage, no doubt Arthur would be there, smirking at him, and Hunith would be fretting with that faint air of disapproval she always wore when he'd been over at Will's.  
Yet when Merlin stepped onto the dirt path leading to Hunith's cottage, he found Arthur waiting outside, leaning against the wall of the adjacent barn.  
"Hi," Merlin said, reddening at the sight of him. Arthur didn't answer. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, staring at the ground with a faintly troubled expression.  
Merlin swallowed. He took a faltering step closer, opening his mouth to explain, but he couldn't think of words, couldn't think of anything beyond the heat in Arthur's eyes as he watched Merlin and Will.  
Arthur looked up as he approached, and the expression on his face made Merlin swallow. His eyes were dark, shining as they did before a battle. Then Arthur caught him and swung him around in a violent motion. Merlin started to protest, but Arthur 's mouth closed over his own, and Arthur's fingers curled around his arms, pinning him against the wall.  
For one shocked moment, Merlin thought about protesting, pulling away. Arthur's mouth was fierce against Merlin's unmoving lips, the grip of his hands almost bruising. His hair shone golden in the moonlight, and his body was strong, radiating heat like a fire. The shadows here were thinner than the ones behind the mill, watered down with moonlight. Hunith's cottage stood only a few paces away, and anybody could open the shutter and see them there. But this was Arthur. Arthur, who smelled of peat smoke and riding leathers, who was attacking his mouth with the same force he brought to the battlefield. Merlin closed his eyes and relented, opening up to the invasion, and Arthur gripped him closer, deepening the kiss.  
A long moment later, Arthur pulled away, glaring at Merlin with a fierce possessiveness that left him weak in the knees. "You didn't tell me you liked men," he said, voice low and dangerous.  
"I . . . you didn't ask?"  
Arthur's eyes narrowed. Shoving Merlin back against the barn wall, he mouthed down his neck, ran his palms down his flanks, and yanked down his breeches. Merlin barely had time to register the chill of autumn air against his dick, half-hard and still faintly damp from Will's attention, before Arthur had dropped to his knees and was nosing at it frantically.  
"Arthur?" Merlin asked, lifting a hand to settle, cautiously on Arthur's shoulder.  
"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur said, and swallowed him in a swift motion. Merlin closed his eyes, and gave up speech entirely.  
Arthur's mouth was hesitant and slightly clumsy against Merlin's prick. He drew his tongue down the length of it carefully, as though Merlin were the blade of a knife, and Merlin hardened at the sensation. Through his sweaty fringe, Arthur looked up at him with huge eyes, dark with desire. Merlin bit his lip around the whimper threatening to escape him.  
"That's right," Arthur whispered, voice gusting along the sensitive length of skin. "Show me how much you like it."  
Arthur wasn't good at this, not like Will. His teeth grazed painfully against Merlin's sensitive skin, and when he tried to draw him in all the way, he choked, gripping the base of Merlin's cock with his hand instead. But this was Arthur, and he was beautiful and imposing, even now, on his knees, nosing along Merlin's cock like it was a fucking delicacy. Unbidden came the thought that Arthur might never have done this before, might never have taken a cock before Merlin's, and the thought sent a new rush of blood to Merlin's groin. Arthur gasped in surprise as Merlin hardened beneath his lips, and Merlin rested a hand reverently on Arthur's blond hair.  
He was nuzzling the underside now, and Merlin swallowed, mesmerized by the sticky trails his leaking tip was tracing over Arthur's cheeks. Arthur's tongue flickered out to lick at his balls, and Merlin keened as Arthur drew them into his mouth, first one, then the other, rolling them over his tongue and humming around them with satisfaction.  
"Arthur," he whispered helplessly, hitching his hips and gulping as his cock swiped a trail of pre-come along Arthur's temple. "Arthur, please."  
Arthur pulled off, and fastened him with an imperious glare. "Patience is a virtue, Merlin," he said, voice firm with command. It might have sounded more believable if Merlin couldn't see is own cock straining beneath his black wool breeches. Arthur caught Merlin's hips, spanning the delicate bones with his hand, and Merlin closed his eyes as a sword-callused hand worked its way behind to squeeze the flesh of his arse like a ripe peach. One finger trailed suggestively down the cleft of Merlin's arse at the same instant Arthur plunged forward, swallowing him nearly to the root, and Merlin gurgled helplessly, clutching Arthur's hair. Arthur's finger circled his hole suggestively, then pressed inside.  
Merlin gasped at the sudden invasion. Will had fingered him earlier, but not for long, and Arthur's fingers was larger, and dry besides. It didn't exactly hurt, but it wasn't comfortable either, and he whimpered a little as Arthur stroked his inner walls.  
"You're so tight," Arthur marveled, pulling out, then thrusting in, experimentally. "You didn't . . . ?" He trailed off, as though unwilling to speak the words.  
Merlin stammered, found his voice. "Not . . . not tonight,"  
"But you have?" Arthur asked, removing his finger. He brought it to his lips and licked it tentatively, eyes widening with the taste. Lust fogged Merlin's mind at the sight, and he only nodded mutely, entranced as Arthur sucked the first two fingers of his sword hand into his mouth. They glistened in the moonlight as he pulled them out, and Merlin swallowed, spreading his legs shoulder-length apart to give Arthur more room to manouvre.  
Arthur pushed easily back inside, the passage eased by saliva. Nodding approvingly, he pulled out and added the other finger. Merlin grunted, bearing down on the pressure. "Would you let me?" Arthur asked, working him steadily open. Merlin nodded, squirming beneath the movement of his hands.  
"Please," he whispered.  
Arthur pulled out, steadying Merlin's hips with his hands. "Turn around," he commanded.  
Merlin did as he said. A moment later, Arthur's hands were on his arse cheeks, prying them apart, and then Arthur was nosing into the crease, dragging his tongue along the sensitive skin there. Merlin choked, gripping the side of the building for strength. Arthur was licking him slow, gently, each touch a little braver, venturing closer to his hole. Merlin closed his eyes, taking in the rough wood against his forehead, the chill air against his skin, the wet heat of Arthur's tongue flicking over and around his entrance. When Arthur's slick tongue finally pushed inside, it felt like an eternity had passed.  
"I want you," Arthur whispered, and Merlin shivered at the puff of warm air against his entrance.  
"You can," he said, needlessly, in his opinion, since he was already fluttering open against Arthur's lips and tongue.  
Arthur pulled away, and stood. Merlin watched over his shoulder as Arthur pulled his leaking cock from his breeches, licking his own palm and wrapping it around it. Draping himself over Merlin's back like a cloak, Arthur lined his cock up to Merlin's entrance and carefully started to push inside.  
Merlin bit his forearm, braced against the side of the building, as the blunt head of Arthur's cock pressed into him. It had been months since he'd done this, and spit wasn't enough, not really. It didn't help that Arthur was bigger than Will, though Merlin would never give him the satisfaction of saying it. With anyone else, Merlin would have pulled back, have dropped to his knees to take him in his mouth, instead. But this was Arthur, so Merlin only grunted, clinging to the side of the barn with white-knuckles and letting his forehead rest against the weathered wooden boards. Arthur's hands felt large on his hips, burning like brands. His cock was a beam inside him, splitting him apart.  
"Shh," Arthur whispered, stroking his flank. "You can take me, Merlin. You know you can take me. It's okay."  
Merlin nodded, willing his muscles to relax. Arthur's breath puffed hot against the nape of his neck; his tongue licked a hot line down his spine, where he nipped, gently. "You drove me crazy," Arthur confessed, easing out a bit. "Seeing you like that. God, Merlin." He pushed back in, deeper now, and Merlin shuddered. Arthur's hand ran gently up Merlin's arm to rest against the back of Merlin's, where it splayed against the side of the barn. Here, with Arthur surrounding him, impaling him, his world collapsed to nothing but Arthur, Merlin could practically taste the destiny surrounding them.  
"I've wanted to do this for ages," Arthur breathed into his ear, easing his hips into tiny, teasing circles. "If I'd known you'd let me, I'd have had you back in Camelot. Would you like that, Merlin? We could do this on my bed."  
Merlin nodded, trying to move with Arthur "Yeah," he gasped. "Yeah, that would be . . . nice."  
"You and your friend," Arthur said. "It's not serious, is it?"  
Will had been his first lover, and, until now, his only. They'd known each other since they were infants. Aside from Hunith and Gaius, only Will knew about his magic. But . . .  
"No, it's not serious," Merlin said, gripping Arthur's fingers tightly. _Not like this,_ he wanted to say, but couldn't. He felt guilty enough as it was, both for letting Arthur watch them earlier, and for moving from Will's arms to Arthur's within the space of a single evening.  
"Good," Arthur breathed into his ear, and slammed inside him, hard. Stars fluttered in Merlin's vision, and he gasped in pleasure, burying his face in his arm.  
"God you're perfect," Arthur whispered, kissing his neck. "I'm so glad I came here, Merlin. So glad I'm here with you." He was fucking Merlin in earnest now, each thrust of his hips burying him deeper inside Merlin's body. The pain had receded, pushed aside by the overwhelming edge of pleasure. Arthur might not be good at sucking cock, but he was excellent at fucking – every movement of his hips hit Merlin deep inside at that place that made his spine pulse liquid hot with desire.  
"Arthur!" he sobbed, clinging to Arthur's arms, his hands. Arthur's cock was hard inside him, his chest warm against Merlin's back. He'd wrapped one arm around Merlin's chest and held him close, the other was stretched along Merlin's, their fingers scrabbling together over the rough-paneled wall of the barn.  
"I hated seeing you with him," Arthur confessed, pressing his forehead against the nape of Merlin's neck. "You shouldn't . . . you're . . . there's something about you, Merlin. I just can't .. ." he groaned, and came, his movements slowing to exquisite torture.  
Merlin writhed beneath him, his own cock unbearably heavy against his stomach. "Please!" he choked, gripping Arthur's hand frantically. "Please, Arthur . . ." he rolled his hips forward, and Arthur lifted himself from where he'd collapsed against Merlin's back. Moving slowly, as if in a dream, he reached around him from behind, catching hold of Merlin's cock. He was still buried deep inside Merlin's body and that, combined with the tight press of his hand, pushed Merlin over the edge with just a few, hard strokes. Merlin spilled over his hand with a relieved gasp and Arthur sighed, kissing the skin behind Merlin's ear.  
"Merlin," he whispered fondly. He pulled Merlin roughly to his chest, cradling him in his arms. Merlin closed his eyes, and let his head loll back against Arthur's shoulder. He imagined he could feel Arthur's heartbeat echoing through his entire body. They felt so joined in that moment that he wanted to tell him about the magic, thought Arthur might even accept it. But then Arthur was kissing his shoulder, and pulling free of his body. Both of them winced as the movement strained sensitive flesh.  
Arthur tucked himself inside his breeches and straightened his clothing. Clumsily, Merlin followed his example. When they finally turned to face each other, Arthur's face was guarded, as careful as it was around his father's advisors. Merlin felt his heart sink at the sight of it, and struggled to keep the devastation from showing in his face.  
"It's going to be a long day tomorrow," Arthur said. "We should go to bed."  
"Okay," Merlin agreed, unable to meet Arthur's eyes.  
They walked together to the cottage in silence. When they opened the door, they found Hunith, Gwen and Morgana sipping tea around the scuffed table, their voices tense with forced optimism as they discussed the battle ahead.  
"There you are!" Morgana said. "What on earth have you been doing?"  
"Practicing Merlin's sword work," Arthur said blithely. "He might not cut his own hand off tomorrow after all."  
Morgana rolled her eyes, and Gwen smiled into her tea cup. Hunith, though, was glancing from Merlin to Arthur with the same faintly-disapproving nonchalance she used to have whenever Merlin and Will barged inside, late and reeking of sex.  
 _Don't say anything,_ Merlin thought, giving his mother the desperate, mortified expression he'd perfected at sixteen. Hunith met his eyes for a long moment, raising her eyebrows as if to say, " _Arthur? Really?_ " but then she was rising from her chair in a fluid movement, giving them all a tired, but radiant smile.  
"It's getting late," she said. "We'll all need to be well-rested for tomorrow." Before long, she and the girls had disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone.  
Swallowing, Merlin began laying out his bedroll. After a silent moment, Arthur followed suit and lay down beside him -- head to tail again, Merlin noticed with a sinking heart. Turning his back on Arthur, Merlin crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the candle a few feet away. He'd been stupid, he thought, to read so much into words that Arthur had gasped in climax. Arthur may care about him -- Morgana, Gwen, even his mother seemed to think so -- but in the end, Merlin was just another servant. He'd probably had dozens of them warm his bed.  
"Will you get the candle?" Arthur asked, and Merlin sighed, lifted himself onto one shoulder, and blew. Darkness surrounded them, and he settled back onto the floor, trying not to think of Arthur's lips against the back of his neck, Arthur's cock inside him.  
"Goodnight, sire," he murmured to the darkness, drawing the title between them like a curtain. Maybe Will was right, he thought.  
Arthur sighed, and shifted in the darkness, until his hand caught Merlin's, squeezing tight. "Goodnight, Merlin," he whispered, like a promise.  
Or maybe not.  
 **The End.**


End file.
